Denver Indian Center Inc.

Board of Directors

Rose McGuire

Board Chair

Rose Mcguire (Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation, formerly Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe/Dakota Nation) brings extensive experience as an educator and community leader to her role as Board Chair:

  • American Indian Education Advisory Council, Denver Public Schools, Member (1992 – present)
  • National Indian Educational Association, Member (1990-present)
  • African American Task Force, Denver Public Schools (2016-Present)
  • Culturally Responsive Educator, Denver Public Schools (2017-Present)
  • GPS Through Adolescence Advisory Committee, (2016-Present)
Payton Batliner

Board Treasurer

​Payton Batliner (Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma) was born on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, and today, his whole family is proud to serve patients at Sage Dental Care for six years and counting. He earned his MBA from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Payton has a daughter named Shea, who was born in 2016. His hobbies outside of the office include running, playing guitar, and keeping up-to-date with American Indian issues.

Joel Smith

Board Member

Joel Smith (Caddo Nation of Oklahoma) has serves as the Senior Vice President and Chief Credit Officer of Native American Bank since 2013. He has worked in financing for 14 years. He holds a M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Colorado Denver, and a dual B.B.A in Finance and Accounting from the University of Oklahoma. Joel is also an alumnus of the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado, and holds a RMA Credit Risk Certification designation. Joel was named “40 Under 40” Native Business Lenders in 2015 by National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development.

John Lukavic

Board Member

Curator of Native Arts at the Denver Art Museum where he conducts and presents scholarly research, develops exhibitions, collects Native arts, disseminates knowledge of the Denver Art Museum’s American Indian, African, and Oceanic collections, and is also responsible for DAM’s collaboration with Native American communities and the implementation of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). Dr. Lukavic has presented academic and public lectures internationally and across the U.S.

Harold White

Board Member

Self-Employed basketball coach and referee.

Bryce Fugate
(Osage Nation of Oklahoma) 

Board Member

Bryce Fugate (Osage Nation of Oklahoma) is originally from Skiatook, OK and currently lives in Denver, CO. He works as a senior facilities engineer for bpx energy, with previous work as an engineer for the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Division of Energy & Mineral Development. Bryce holds a BS in Petroleum Engineering and BA in International Studies from The University of Oklahoma and an MA in Latin American and Border Studies from The University of Texas at El Paso. “He enjoys spending time with his dogs, gardening, skiing, traveling, and getting to know new areas of his community.